Nothing, not even mountains and seas, can separate people with common goals and ideals.

This is a sentence in Bao Pu Zi (The Master Who Embraces Simplicity) by Ge Hong (c. 281-341), a minor official, medical scientist and Daoist of the Jin Dynasty (265-420). If two people have similar interests, they will not feel distant from each other though they are separated by high mountains and vast seas. What is more important is that they share the same aspirations and have the same inclinations.

In his keynote speech at the Fifth BRICS Leaders Meeting in March 2013, Xi Jinping said: As an old Chinese saying goes, "Nothing, not even mountains and seas, can separate people with common goals and ideals." The five countries from four continents are gathering here for the great goal of fostering partnership for common development, and the noble cause of promoting democracy in international relations and advancing the peace and development of mankind. To pursue peace, development and mutually beneficial cooperation is our common aspiration and responsibility.

志合者，不以山海為遠

“志合者，不以山海為遠”，出自《抱樸子》，意為如果兩人志趣相同，他們不會因為有山海阻隔而感到彼此距離很遠，交往的重點在于志向的相合、志趣的相投，闡發了志同道合的道理。

2013年3月，習近平在金磚國家領導人第五次會晤時的主旨講話中引用“志合者，不以山海為遠”，指出來自世界四大洲的5個國家，為了構筑伙伴關系、實現共同發展的宏偉目標走到了一起，為了推動國際關系民主化、推進人類和平與發展的崇高事業走到了一起。求和平、謀發展、促合作、圖共贏，是金磚國家共同的愿望和責任。